Michelle Obama announces 'Argo' as best picture

2/24/13 11:56 PM EST

First lady Michelle Obama appeared live at the Oscars via video Sunday night to introduce the best picture presentation and to rip open the envelope to reveal "Argo" as the winner.

"I am so honored to help introduce this year's nominees for best picture and to help celebrate the movies that lift our spirits, broaden our minds and transport us to places we have never imagined," Obama said, appearing in a silver gown from the White House.

"These nine movies took us back in time and all around the world they made us laugh, they made us weep and they made us grip our armrests just a little tighter," she continued. "They taught us that love can endure against all odds and transform our lives in the most surprising ways, and they reminded us that we can overcome any obstacle if we dig deep enough and fight hard enough and find the courage to believe in ourselves."

"These lessons apply to all of us no matter who we are or what we look like or where we come from or who we love, but they are especially important for our young people, every day through engagement in the arts, our children learn to open their imaginations to dream just a little bigger and to strive every day to reach those dreams."

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Donovan Slack

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"Presidents always say that they want that kind of open debate, and Obama handles it better than most. But by assembling a team where all the top players are going in the same direction, he is perilously close to groupthink."